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Aaron Judge was back in right field for the second time in three days against the Blue Jays and he was tested early as he deals with the effects of the flexor strain in his right elbow.
The results were mixed, at best, with Judge’s normally strong arm clearly impacted by the injury.
But while the Blue Jays were able to run on Judge again, he helped them seal a huge 4-3 win with a diving catch of George Springer’s sinking line drive to end the top of the fourth and save a run, since Nathan Lukes was on second base in a one-run game.
Still, teams will no doubt follow Toronto’s lead and continue to test Judge’s arm.
In the top of the second Ernie Clement doubled into the right field corner.
Judge raced over and made a fairly strong throw to second that nearly got the shortstop.
Still, the throw was tracked at just 70 mph.
Prior to the injury, Judge’s throws from the outfield averaged 90 mph this season.
With runners on second and third and one out later in the inning, Nathan Lukes hit a fly ball to medium right field and Judge threw to Jazz Chisholm Jr., serving as a cutoff man, rather than firing home.
Clement scored without a throw.
The ball continued to find Judge in right, as Springer opened the third with a double to right, after going in awkwardly standing up.
This time, Judge’s throw was clocked at just 62 mph.
Aaron Boone said he thought Judge’s throws were “good” and would continue to talk with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton about how often they feel comfortable playing the outfield.
And the manager added he didn’t consider replacing Judge late in the game with José Caballero.
A spot would have made sense when Judge walked to open the bottom of the eighth, holding a one-run lead, with the speedy Caballero available to steal a base and then go to right.
Paul Goldschmidt was out of the lineup for a second straight game as he deals with a bone bruise in his right knee, Boone said before the game.
Despite the injury, Goldschmidt entered the game as a defensive replacement for Ben Rice at first base.
Prior to the game, Boone said the first baseman was expected to be “a normal player” after saying Saturday he would have only used him in an emergency.
Boone called the injury “pretty manageable.”
“It bothers him some days more than others,” Boone said of Goldschmidt, who has dealt with the effects of the low-grade right knee sprain he suffered on Aug. 12.
Goldschmidt avoided the IL, but the injury kept him out of the lineup for three games.
CC Sabathia was honored in a pregame ceremony Sunday for his July Baseball Hall of Fame induction.
The lefty threw out the ceremonial first pitch, which he bounced to Luis Gil.
Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. stole bases Sunday, giving the Yankees 52 over their past 41 games, the most in the majors over that stretch.
They’ve already stolen more bases this season (116) than in any year since 2011, when they finished with 147.
